The New England Patriots are poised to make a splash in free agency with more salary cap space ($123.5 million) than any other team in the NFL, and the wide receiver position is at the top of the to-do list after a strong rookie campaign from quarterback Drake Maye.
Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals is bound for free agency in mid-March unless that organization uses its franchise tag to keep the wideout on the roster for the second consecutive year or agrees to an extension in the next few weeks.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on Tuesday, Feb. 18, dubbed New England the top fit for Higgins and predicted a three-year, $103 million contract for the receiver.
“The New England Patriots are an ideal fit for Higgins, especially after landing a franchise quarterback in the 2024 draft. With Drake Maye already earning the first of potentially many Pro Bowl nods as a rookie despite being saddled with one of the league’s weakest receiving corps, pairing him with Higgins would significantly raise the ceiling on New England’s offense,” Kay wrote. “Even if it takes an overpay to get the deal done, the Maye-Higgins duo could dominate the league for the better part of the next decade.”
Higgins has eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving twice in his five-year NFL career and surpassed 900 yards on two other occasions. He has amassed 34 total receiving TDs and is poised to make a leap to the Pro-Bowl level if he can find an opportunity as a true No. 1 with a reasonable offense.
Higgins has played second fiddle to Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati since the Bengals drafted him in 2021. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow has been on the record that he wants both Higgins and Chase back in the huddle for the long term.
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